F 73 


.62 


.C5 MS 


Copy 1 



THE KING'S GIFT TO 
CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON 

1733 



BY 



PERCIVAL MERRITT 




THE KING'S GIFT TO 
CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON 

1733 

BY 

PERCIVAL MERRITT 

i 

REPRINTED FROM 

THE PUBLICATIONS 

OF 

'^^e Colonial J>ociet^ of Q^asisac^ueetts; 

Vol. XIX 



CAMBRIDGE 

JOHN WILSON AND SON 

SantDtrsitg i^rcss 

1917 



fl3 
. 670 



r 



TBANSFERRra FfOi 

" ~;c::;CAL civisiOK 



THE KING'S GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 

Christ Church and King's Chapel were so intimately connected 
during the fifty years which preceded the Revolution that it is almost 
impossible to consider any important event in the life of the former 
without coming in contact with the life of the latter. The com- 
mittee, which was appointed in 1722 to secure subscriptions for the 
new church at the North End of Boston, was chosen for that purpose 
at a meeting of the congregation of King's Chapel summoned by 
its Rector, the Rev. Samuel Myles.^ When the Rev. Timothy Cut- 
ler sailed for London in the autumn of 1722 to take Holy Orders, he 
was accompanied by a letter from the Rector, Wardens, and Vestry 
of King's Chapel recommending him to the Bishop of London for 
ordination, and urging that the Bishop should grant him his " License 
for the Church now to be built in this place." ^ The corner-stone 
of Christ Church was laid in April, 1723, by the Rev. Mr. Myles 
"accompany'd with the gentlemen of King's Chapel." ^ Dr. Cutler 
preached his first sermon, after his return to Boston in September, 
1723, in King's Chapel.^ On more than one occasion, when the in- 
terests or dignity of the Anglican Church in Massachusetts were 
involved, the vestrys of the two churches met together and took 
action in joint session. During the long illness of Dr. Cutler, prior 
to his death in 1765, the officers of Christ Church turned to Dr. 
Caner of King's Chapel for assistance and advice, and on August 
20th, 1765, Dr. Caner preached the sermon at the funeral of Dr. 
Cutler. 

These are but a few instances of the inter-relation of the two 
churches which might be multiplied almost indefinitely. It is not 
surprising therefore, — soon after the arrival in Boston in 1730 of 
Jonathan Belcher returning duly commissioned as Governor of the 
Province, and bringing to King's Chapel an evidence of the Royal 
bounty in the form of Bible and Prayer-Books, Communion plate 

1 Account Book (1722-1759) of Christ Church. 

2 Christ Church files; from copy of original letter. 

3 Account Book. 

* Foote, Annals of King's Chapel, i. 323. 



300 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

and furnishings for the Altar, — to find the following entry in the 
Vestry Records of Christ Church: ^ 

At a Vestry Meeting the 18th of Nov' 1730: 

Present, 
The Rev<i Doc' T. Cutler 

A/rr Ttfrnn ^^ yChuTch WardeDS 
M' W" Pattenj 

M' H. Laughton ^ 
M' Geo. Skinner I ,, . 
CaptR. Harris [Vestrymen 

M' Th. CarringtonJ 



M' Jn° Howard 
M' E. Stanbridge 
M' W^ Price 



In consideration of late Donation of his present Majesty our most 
Gracious Sovereign King George the Second to his Maj*^'^ Chappel in 
this Town at the desire of his Excellency Jon^ Belcher Esq' our Govern' 
and under the Promising Views of obtaining the like Benevolence from 
our said Sovereign by the good Interest and Encouragement of our 
Govern'' afores'^ Voted That the Minister, Church Wardens and Vestry 
do Concur with his Excell^ Jon* Belcher Esq' in a due Application for 
getting plate and other Utencills for y^ Altar of Christ Church and for 
a Bible, prayer book &c. for the Use of the Said Church like as his 
Majesty's Chappell in this Town has lately been given by the Interest 
of the said Govern'. Voted That the Church Wardens for the Time 
being. Shall pay out of the Church Stock all the Expences of getting the 
S*^ Utencills out of the proper OflSces in Great Britain amounting to 
about Seventeen Pounds sterhng. Voted That a letter be Sent by the 
Said Minister Church Wardens and Vestry To Edmund Lord Bishop of 
London to that End. 

The estimate of £17 for expenses was probably based on the 
charges incurred by King's Chapel of £16.7.0 for various amounts 
disbursed in London by Governor Belcher in 1730 on account of 
the Royal gift. The records of King's Chapel, however, shov/ an 
additional payment to Belcher in 1731 of £57.4.6 "for his charges 
in Procuring and bringing plate, &c." ^ It is not absolutely clear 
from the records as printed whether the supplementary payment in 
1731 was in sterling, or in local currency, but if the former Christ 
Church apparently fared better in the matter of expenses, as will be 
seen later. 

1 All extracts from the Vestry Records are from the first Record Book, 1724- 
1802. 

2 Annals of King's Chapel, i. 400. 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 301 

The Governor evidently bestirred himself actively in the interests 
of Christ Church for, under date of July 24, 1731, he wrote the 
Bishop of London: ^ "I am very thankful to your Lordship for what 
M'' Newman writes of the good offices your Lordship has been pleased 
to employ in favor of Christ's Church in this Town, of which I have 
acquainted Docf Cutler and the Vestry, and that from your Lord- 
ship's Goodness & parental Care, they may hope for his Majesty's 
Bounty to that Infant Church." ^ 

After the receipt of Mr. Newman's ^ advices, however, a question 
evidently arose in London as to the advisability of complj^ing with 
the request of the Church and Governor which was reflected in the 
following action taken by the Vestry of Christ Church: "At a 
Vestry Meeting the 23'd of Novem' 1731, . . . Voted That two 
letters be forwarded to London p Cap* Sheperdson, The one to his 
Grace the Duke of Grafton & the other to his Lordsp. the Bishop of 
London, Copys of the Said letters being lodg'd in M'' Willm. Pattens 
hands." The reason for this action and the Governor's personal in- 
terest in the matter is shovra by several letters among the Belcher 
Papers. 

On November 20, 1731, Belcher wrote Henry Newman: "I am 
very thankfull for your care to procure the King's bounty for Christ's 
Church, & observe what my good Lord of London wrote you in the 
matter, which I hope he has before this time confirmed to my Lord 
Chamberlain. Ore tenus, you must not despair, but sollicit dili- 
gently till you obtain."^ On December 1, 1731, he wrote himself 
to the Lord Chamberlain, the Duke of Grafton: 

I had the great honour of addressing your Grace in Dec' last, and 
(among other things) to mention to y' Grace the request of the Minister 
& Vestry of Christ's C^'' in this town for his Majesty's bounty of plate 
& furniture to that infant c^*^, and for which they now presume to make 
their humble petition to your Grace, and I so fully represented to your 
Grace in my last the strait circumstances of that c'^^ that I am afraid 
to give your Grace a new trouble on that head. But as the King's 

1 Edmund Gibson. 

' W. S. Perry, Historical Collections relating to the American Colonial Church, 
iii. 270. 

« Henry Newman, H. C. 1687, Librarian 1690-1693: see our Publications, 
sdv. 135-136. 

* Belcher Papers, i. 59. 



/ 

/ 



302 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

Chappel in this town twice reed the royal bounty, I beg leave to assure 
your Grace that your kind regards to this c^^ in a favourable representa- 
tion of their poor condition to his Majesty, and that they might enjoy 
the royal smiles in this respect wou'd be an instance of your Grace's 
great goodness & favour to this C^^ of England in gen" in this country, 
& oblige them always to pray for the best of blessings to be poured down 
upon your Grace and every branch of your noble family.^ 

On the same day Belcher also addressed a letter to Mr. Evans, 
the Lord Chamberlain's secretary, in which was indicated the nature 
of the obstacle which had arisen: 

S'' — Sometime in Decemb' last I wrote to his Grace the Lord High 
Chamberlain in favour of the Minister & Vestry of Christ's C^^ in this 
town to pray his [Grace's kind regards to their obtaining the Kings 
bounty to that c'''' in the Hke manner as has been twice extended to the 
King's Chappel in this town, and I now presume to remind his Grace of 
this their request. The people of this c^*" have done great service & 
honour to the C^** of England in gen" in this country by exerting them- 
selves in building so good & handsome a house, and it will be a great 
discouragement to those who are well affected to the c*^^ if they do not 
finally obtain the royal favour in this respect. M"" Newman who sollicits 
this matter in their behalf tells me some difficulty arises lest the doing 
it for this c^'^ shou'd make it a president for other c^^^ in this town 
hereafter. But of this I think there can be no great danger, because the 
two c*^^^ in this town will be sufficient for those that attend divine serv- 
ice in the C*^^ of England for a long time to come. Besides if presidents 
might always have their force you will find on the books a sett of plate 
& other furniture sent in the reign of the late Queen Anne for a c^** 
among the Mohawks (or Five Nations), and as before mention'd the 
church here called the King's Chappel has twice reed, the royal bounty. 
From the little acquaintance I had with M' Evans at Whitehall, I now 
take the freedom to ask your friendship to this c'^'^ in facilitating the 
matter with my Lord Duke that they may obtain a favourable answer 
to this their reasonable request. M' Newman will take care to dis- 
charge all the office fees, and I shall be glad to return your respect on 
this head in such a way & manner as you may please to command.^ 

Three days later, December 4, 1731, in a letter to the Bishop 
of London, the Governor also refers in some detail to the mooted 
question of precedent: 

^ Belcher Papers, i. 65-66. « i, 66-67. 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHEIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 303 

... in the mean time (& always) your Lordship may rest assured, 
not only of justice, but of all the favour & friendship in my power to 
the C^^ of England. And as an instance of it I am now again humbly 
to thank your Lordship, in behalf of the ministry, wardens, & vestry of 
Christ's C^^ in this town, for the good offices your Lordship has em- 
ploy'd for obtaining the King's bounty for this c^^. They now again 
write to my Lord Chamberlain and to your Lordship with their most 
humble & gratefuU acknowledgments, and pray the continuance of your 
Lordship's kind uegards to them, which I also do, and that you wou'd 
please to recollect what I ^Tote your Lordships on this head in Dec' 
last, and was so full as will hardly allow of any addition, unless to obviate 
the difficulty my Lord Chamberlain suggests of the matter's being made 
precedential, of which I apprehend there is no danger from any pros- 
pect of another c^^ being built in this town for a long time to come, 
besides there was plate, books, & furniture sent p the late Queen Anne 
for a c^^ intended to be among the Mohawks (or Five Nations) ; and with 
great submission why may not this be pleaded, that all other c^^^ shou'd 
have the same favour from the Crown; and in the reign of the late 
glorious K. W. the c^** in this town reed plate & all other furniture, and 
a duplicate of all the last year, that methinks it seems hard that this 
infant c*^^ shou'd not enjoy the royal smile, which I will still hope for 
from your Lordship's benign & powerfull interposition. But let the 
success be now what it will, I promise not to give your Lordship (or 
myself) any further trouble in an affair in which I have no other in- 
terest than as I think it wou'd be a ser\'ice to the C^*" of England (in 
this country) in general, and to this new c^*^ in particular.^ 

And finally a letter from Belcher to Newman, also under date of 
December 4, reveals the fact that the Governor himself had been 
the inspiring cause of the vestry meeting of November 23d: 

The minister & vestry of Christ's C^*^ send you their humble service 
& most hearty thanks for your kind and diligent sollicitations in the 
affair of the King's bounty, and I have put them upon writing to my 
Lord Chamberlain & the Bishop of London, which you have herewith, 
with mine & one I have wrote to M' Evans (whom I knew at White- 
hall). All these letters you are to open, read, & handsomely reseal & 
deliver. You have M' Harris's order for money to defrey the charge, 
and I wish you success; & if otherwise I shall not give you or myself any 
further trouble in an affair in which I have no other interest than the 

1 Belcher Papers, i. 73-74. 



304 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

welfare & prosperity of the C''^ of England. I am truly, S', Your most 
faithfull humble servant, J. B. If you obtain let them all come under 
my care to be deliver'd.^ 

The Church's supplementary letters of November, 1731, reinforced 
by the Governor's personal appeals, produced the desired result, 
and "At a Vestry Meeting held at M"" Patten's y^ 26*'^ December 
1732" it was "Voted That a letter Shall be wriit to Cap* Rob* Harris 
to take into possession the Plate &c. for the Communion of Christ's 
Church In Boston the ReV^ D^ T. Cutler Rector. And y* thanks 
may be return'd to M'' Sandford,^ & those Genf that were the 
Church's friend concerning that affair." 

Several months later, under date of May 3, 1733, a Treasury 
warrant was issued for the execution of a warrant from the Lord 
Chamberlain to the Duke of Montagu, Master of the Great Ward- 
robe, "for the delivery to the Bishop of London of Bibles, Prayer 
Books, and chapel furniture, detailed, as a gift from his Majesty to 
Christ Church, at Boston, New England, to the value of £106 and 
also of Communion plate for same, to the value of £80." ^ 

Without further undue delay, the necessary formalities having 
been complied with, the King's gift was forwarded to Boston, ar- 
riving early in September, as is shown by the Vestry Records. "At 
a Vestry Meeting Held at M' Patten's y^ 10*^ September 1733," the 
Rector, Wardens, and five Vestrymen being present, it was recorded 
that — 

Having Received the Bounty of Our Most Gracious Sovereign King 
George the 2^ In Sending things for y^ Ornament & Use of our Church 
& Altar and the Charge of twenty-six pounds 16/10 Sterling ariseing 
thereby. It is now Voted That the above Charge be defrayed in the 
following manner Viz*. That a bill of Exchange of Twelve pounds 
16/lC Sterling be provided for the Discharge of M'' Henry Newman's 
Acco* & that to be delivered to M'' Andrew Belcher.* Voted That y^ 
Sum of Fourteen pounds Sterling which Cap" Rob* Harris has paid in 
part of M'' H^ Newman's Acco* be paid to his Satisfaction. Voted That 

1 Belcher Papers, i. 75. 

2 Thomas Sandford, merchant in London and agent of the congregation of 
King's Chapel (Annals of King's Chapel, i. 352, 381-382). 

5 Calendar of Treasury Books and Papers, 1731-1734, p. 379. 
* Andrew Belcher (H. C. 1724), oldest son of Governor Belcher, and a Boston 
merchant. 



1917] THE king's gift TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 305 

the above Charges with the Freight be paid out of the Church Stock 
by the Church Wardens. 

At a vestry meeting held September 17, 1733, the Church Wardens 
and five Vestrymen being present, it was — 

Voted That a Copy of the following Receipt be Delivered by the 
Church Wardens to M"- And"^ Belcher Viz*. We the Church Wardens of 
Christ Church at Boston In New England (whereof the Rev^^ D"- Tim" 
Cutler is Rector) Have this Day 8th Sep^ 1733 Receiv'd the Royal Pres- 
ent of His Most Excellent Majesty King George y*^ 2'^ Our most Gracious 
Sovereign, From on board the New Cambridge Galley John Crocker 
Commander by the hands of M' Andrew Belcher Consisting of the fol- 
lowing plate & Furniture Viz*. 

. -r^ , T^-T 1 r bound in Turkey leather Strung 

2 Silver Flagons 1 Royal Bible w*»> blue garter ribon & trim'd 

1 Chalice 2 Com. pray' books \ ^^h g^id fringe 

1 Patten 

1 Receiver 

12 Com. pray' books fol. boimd in Calf gilt filleted ^ and Strung w*'' blue ribon. 

2 Cusheons for the Read^ Desk 

1 Large Cusheon & Cloth for y« Pulpitt 

1 Carpett ^ & Altar piece 

20 Yds. Damask Cloth for y« Communion Table 

2 Large Surplices of fine holland. 

All the above particulars we do hereby most gratefully acknowledge 
to have Receiv*^ the Day above menconed As Witness our hands at 
Boston aiores*^ the 17'th day of September An. Dni. 1733 

WiLLM PeICE 1 „, 1 TTT J 

> Church Wardens. 
John Hootten J 

Voted That y® Eldest Church Warden for y« Time being Do keep into 
his Custody all the plate belonging to y^ Church; And at the goeing out 
of his Office To Deliver the Said Plate, Moneys and other Utencills be- 
longing to the Church, to his Successor. 

1 Filleted, "marked or decorated with a fiilet." Fillet, "a plain line impressed 
on the cover of a book" (Oxford English Dictionary). 

2 Employed in the now obsolete sense of a covering for the Altar. The Con- 
stitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical agreed upon by Bishops and Clergy in their 
Synod (1603) provide that the Cofnmunion Table shall be "covered in time of 
Divine Service with a Carpet of Silk or other decent Stuff, thought meet by the 
Ordinary of the place, if any question be made of it, and with a fair linen cloth 
at the time of the Ministration, as becometh that Table, and so stand, saving 
when the holy Communion is to be administered." 



306 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

Voted That the Royal Bible be for- the Reading Desk: and that the 
Rev^ Doc'' Cutler have the Choice of four Common prayer Books the 
One for y* Reading-Desk and the three others for the Comunion Table. 

Voted That Two Common prayer Books be Reserved for the Gov- 
ernor and Lieut* Governor. And the Rest remaining undisposed off 
(the two following Books excepted) be reserved for y^ Use of the Church. 
Voted That Two Common prayer Books be placed & fixt in the Church 
Warden's pew to be Used by them for the Time being. 

Voted That the two Cusheons for the Reading desk and that for the 
pulpitt with the Cloth be placed therein, And the Carpett & Altar piece 
be placed at the Discretion of the present Church Wardens. 

Voted That the 20 Yards Damask Cloth remain intire, as now is, 
Untill further Order. 

Voted That the Two Old Cusheons be putt to Use in the Pew N° 30 
Whenever the Governor or Lieut* Gov'' is or are present; and that the 
Church Wardens order the place to be made convenient for y^ same. 

« By Order of Y« Vestry 

F. Beteilhe C. 

Ha\'ing made this formal disposition of the various articles re- 
ceived the officers of the church next proceeded to make the proper 
acknowledgments. On the day following the vestry meeting of 
September 17, Governor Belcher wrote to his son, Jonathan Junior, 
then in England, that "D"^ Cutler has reed the Royal Bounty for 
Christ's C^^, and has been with me with his Church Wardens (in 
behalf of the whole C^^) to thank the Gov' for his fav' & friendship 
in procuring for them so valuable a gift." ^ Then the following 
entry appears in the Vestry Records: "At a Vestry-Meeting held at 
M' Patten's the 1° Octob. 1733 [the Rector, Wardens, and five 
Vestrymen being present]; Voted That the Address to His most 
Excell* INIajesty and the Severall letters Recorded in y^ Letter book 
F^ 21 to 24 be Signed by the Rev^ Doc% the Church Wardens & 
Vestry, and Sent to England with all Convenient Speed.'* 

Finally the Governor, also, expressed his thanks in a letter to 
Henry Newman under date of October 6: "Cap* Alden & Shepherd- 
son have brought me your obliging favours of 5 May & 4 Augs* last, 
and I give you a great many thanks for your sollicitations in behalf 
of Christ's C^^, which have at last found the desir'd success, and I 

1 Belcher Papera, i. 371. 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 307 

tell the Doct' & his Church Wardens that this bounty is the pure 
produce of your indefatigable application. The plate & other fur- 
niture is noble & handsome & very acceptable." ^ 

The question naturally arises why Governor Belcher was so in- 
terested in securijig this gift for Christ Church that he exerted a 
personal pressure in various influential quarters to obtain it. This 
is easily asked but not so easily answered. Although the Governor 
and the Rector had been undergraduates in Harvard College at 
about the same time, the former being in the Class of 1699 and the 
latter in 1701, there is nothing to indicate any particular intimacy 
between them. In fact Belcher the Congregationalist would hardly 
have been in sympathy with Cutler, the ex-Rector of Yale College, 
whose defection from Congregationalism to Episcopacy in 1722 had, 
stirred ecclesiastical New England so deeply. 

A possible solution, however, may be found in the correspondence 
of Belcher with the Bishop of London. In his letter of July 24, 1731, 
a portion of which has already been quoted, he asked the Bishop's 
indulgence for a complaint which he wished to make against the 
Rev. Roger Price, then Rector of King's Chapel and the Bishop's 
Commissary for New England. It will be noticed that this letter 
was written some months after the original application of the vestry 
of Christ Church, but only a few months before Belcher incited them 
to press the matter again and assisted them by personal letters in 
their favor. He informed the Bishop that, in accordance vnih an 
immemorial custom, he had proclaimed a day of fasting and prayer 
and had appointed March 25th for its observance. Whereupon the 
Commissary and Mr. Harwood (the King's Lecturer) of King's 
Chapel together with Dr. Cutler of Christ Church had waited upon 
the Governor and informed him that March 25 was Lady Day and a 
Festival of the Church of England.^ In reply the Governor said 
that neither he nor any member of the Council had even thought of 
it, and added that he had been "born and bred a Dissenter" and was 
almost an entire stranger to the Church of England, yet, had he 
known it, he would have appointed some other day. But, to quote 
his own words: 



1 Belcher Papers, i. 38&-390. 

2 Lady Day, the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary; also, under Old Style, the 
first day of the new year. 



308 THE COLONIAL SOCEETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [APRID, 

Notwithstanding my mild & handsome treatment of the Clergy, the 
Commissary was so rude as to tell me he believed it was done purposely 
to affront the Church, & that in the appointment of such days he ought 
to be consulted. This I look upon as a great piece of Insolence on the 
King's Gov"", and had it not been in regard to D' Cutler & M' Har- 
wood, who behaved themselves consistent with their character, I 
should have treated M' Price very roughly. Since this affair happened 
I neither have nor will go into the Church if I am apprized of his 
being in the Desk, nor suffer any of my family.^ 

After pacing a further tribute to the good qualities of Dr. Cutler 
and Mr. Harwood, the Governor wrote that he understood that 
Mr. Price talked of returning soon to England and concluded by 
saying that "I believe your Lordship can't do a greater service to 
the Church in these parts than to prevent his coming hither again." ^ 

In a letter of December 4, 1731, to the Bishop, Belcher wrote: 
"Your Lordship very justly observes M"" Price's fault with respect 
to the Fast I wrote to your Lordship I had appointed. He is a young 
man, & I hope may grow wiser as he grows older, & when he does 
his duty & asks my pardon he shall find me the gent"* & the Chris- 
tian." 3 On the following Christmas Day Belcher evidently attended 
Christ Church instead of King's Chapel, for the Belcher Papers 
record a letter of December 24th to Lieutenant-Governor Tailer 
inviting him to go wdth Colonel Bj^^eld and the Governor to Dr. 
Cutler's Church the next day and to dine with the Governor.'* 

In May, 1734, Mr. Price actually went so far as to embark for 
England but changed his mind, went on .shore again, and resumed 
his position at King's Chapel after an adjustment of his differences 
with the congregation. The Bishop of London had written Belcher, 
however, asking his opinion as to the appointment of another Com- 
missary. In his reply under date of December 9th, 1734, Belcher 
wrote: "For the reasons I wrote your Lordship some years ago I 
have no acquaintance with M' Price, nor do I desire any till I find 
he has more manners and comes and practises his duty to the King's 
Gov'. But when I attend the C^*^ of England it is commonly at 
Christ's C^^, whereof D' Cutler is minister." ^ He continued by 

1 Perry, Historical Collections of the American Colonial Church, iii. 270. 

2 iii. 271. 

» Belcher Papers, i. 72. < i. 460. « ii. 175. 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHKIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 309 

saying that he had made prudent inquiries but could not learn that 
Mr. Price had any intention at present of returning to England. 
But since the Bishop had asked his thoughts in the matter he rec- 
ommended Dr. Cutler as the best qualified person he could think 
of to serve as Commissary when a vacancy might occur. One com- 
ment which Belcher made seems worth reproducing in his own words 
as an indication of the reaction of sturdy New England Protestantism 
on Anglican principles and practices: "Yet your L^^ship will allow 
me to say that if the Doct' was more moderate in some hierarchycal 
principles he wou'd be better able to serve and increase the Church 
in this country, for the people here who have been originally planted 
and bro't up in another way may be drawn but will not be driven." i 
He added also that what was commonly called the King's Chapel 
was not so in reality since the minister was chosen by the congrega- 
tion and not presented by the King. Therefore it was not necessary 
that the Commissary should be the Rector of King's Chapel, al- 
though it was desirable that he should be a minister of one of the 
churches in Boston, the capital of the Province. Accordingly he 
again commended Dr. Cutler to the Bishop "as a genf" of figure 
and good prudence, and one whom I have good reason to beleive 
wou'd be to the good liking & satisfaction of the clergy over whom 
he is to preside." ^ 

It would, therefore, seem a reasonable inference that the Gov- 
ernor's activity in procuring the King's gift for Christ Church was 
not so much inspired by interest in the church itself as by antago- 
nism to the Commissary, and perhaps also to have the church, which 
he honored by his official presence when occasion arose, dignified by 
the Royal favor. 

Pew No. 30 was obviously set apart as the "Governor's Pew" by 
the action of the vestry on September 17, 1733, as shown above. It 
is the front pew on the right-hand side of the centre aisle, and differs, 
with two exceptions, from other pews in the body of the church, 
which are as a rule approximately square, by being a long narrow 
pew extending from the centre to the side aisle. The last two pews 
in the church on either side of the centre aisle, Nos. 39 and 21, 
marked respectively "The Wardens" and "For strangers and 

1 Belcher Papers, ii. 175. 

2 u. 176. / 



310 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

wardens," are also long and narrow and extend from the centre to the 
side aisle. 

From the time of this vote of the vestry until after the Revolu- 
tion it was carried in the Church's account books as the Governor's 
Pew. In the second Account Book (1759-1823) there is an entry 
in the handwriting of James Sherman, Church Warden, to the effect 
"That the above Pew N° 30 was from the first Settlement of Christ 
Church in Boston devoted wholy to the use of His Excelenee the 
Governor and other Gentlemen and so continued untill August 
1791." This fact apparently escaped the vigilant eye of the Rev. 
Mr. Foote, who wrote: "The 'Governor's pew' remained a unique 
property of the King's Chapel. The nearest approach to it in the 
other Episcopal Church was an acknowledgment of the gift of a 
cargo of logwood from Jlonduras." ^ This reference is to the con- 
struction in 1727 of the "Bay Pew," No. 46, "For the use of the 
Gentlemen of y^ Bay of Handoras who have been or shall be Bene- 
factors to this Church." 2 Mr. Foote added that "There was a 
Governors pew, however, in the First and South meeting-houses."^ 

Turning now to the first Account Book (1722-1759) of the Church 
we find the invoice entered in full. The various articles received are 
described with more particulars than in the Vestry Records, arid the 
expense account is given in detail. 

London 13^^ July 1733. 
Invoice of His Majesty's Royal Present of Plate and other Furniture 
for the Communion Table Pulpit and Reading Desk of Christ Church 
at Boston in New England shipt by Henry Newman on the New Cam- 
bridge Galley Cap* John Crocker Commander in One Chest Markt 
and number'd as in the Margent and Consigned 
to M"^ Andrew Belcher Merch* at Boston to be 
dehver'^ to the Rever"^ D' Cutler Reef and the Church Wardens of 
the said Church. 



1 Annals of King's Chapel, i. 377 note. 

2 Vestry Records, June 9, 1727. 

* Trinity Church, Boston, also set apart a pew for the use of the Governor, 
after the receipt, in 1742, of a gift of Communion plate, Bible and Prayer Books 
from the King through Governor Shirley. At a vestry meeting held August 27, 
1742, it was voted: "that a pew be fitted up for his ExceP^^ accomodation 
when he pleases to come to this Church, that the two pews N° 69 & N° 70 be 
made into square pews one for to accomodate his Excel'^y the other for the War- 
dens" (Addison, Life and Times of Edward Bass, p. HI). 



1917] THE king's gift TO CHRIST CHUKCH, BOSTON, 1733 311 



2 Silver Flagons"^ 
1 Chalice I 

1 Patten I 

1 Receiver J 



W* 187 ounces pack'd up in a Calf's leather Trunk 
lined with green bayes. 



1 Royal Bible "1 Bound in Turkey leather Strung with blue 

2 Com: Pra: Books J garter Ribbons and trim'd with gold fringe. 
12 Com. Pray, books fol. 'I bound in Calf Gilt & fillited & Strung w*'* 

/ blue ribbons. 



o< 



Cushings for the Reading Desk 
large Cushion & Cloth for y^ Pulpit 
Carpet & Altar piece 



All Crimson Genoa Damask 
trim*^ with Crimson ingrain 
>Silk, twisf* & knotted fringe 
& 4 tawcells Suitable to y^ 
Cusheons. 

Yards of Damask Cloth for the Communion Table 

large Surplices of fine Holland 
Ship'd 

J. R. E Henet Newman 

. D. L. G. 

Charges Due to M'' Henry Newman for obtaining and Shipping the 
above Plate & Furniture Viz*. 



From 
Feb. 12* 
1730/1 to 
Aprill 27*^ 
1733 



May 13 
June 23 



For Sundry Coach hire &c as £ Acco* 
Paid M'' Evans, his G. the D. 

of Grafton's Secre^ 
A Gratuity to M' Griffith 

M'' Evans's CI. 
Ditto . . . to y« Door keeper 

Coach to y« Duke of Montague's Office 
For Sundry Coach hire &c as g Acco* 

Ditto 

Charges at the Custom-House &c* Viz* 
For a Cocket ^ &c. 
Searchers 

Wharfage & Porteridge 
Petitioning the Commissioners 
Wateridge on board 
Primage ^ and Bills Lading 

Sterlg 



£6: 9:6- 



4:8:6 



5:0 




2:6 


4:16:0 




2:- 




9:14:0 




5: 0:6 


7:0 




:6 




2:4 




1:- 




2:- 




2:- 


.14.10 




£26:16:10 



1 Cocket, a "document sealed by the officers of the custom-house, and de- 
livered to merchants as a certificate that their merchandise has been duly 
entered and has paid duty" (Oxford English Dictionary). 

2 Primage, "a customary allowance formerly made by the shipper to the 
master and crew of a vessel for the loading and care of the cargo; also called hat- 
money" (Oxford English Dictionary). 



312 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

This Day S'th September 1733. Received the King's Gift of Plate 
&c for the Use of Christ Church as g particulars hereabove Mention'd. 

This entry is followed at intervals in the Account Book by a number 
of charges, mainly for minor disbursements, incurred on account of 
the gift. 

1733 

Septem' 8 To D" [Cash paid] for Truckidge of y^ King's Gift from 

on board the Ship 0. 2 

10 To D° to Spooner for hooks for y^ Altar Pce 2 

24 To Ditto to Jn° Crocker for freight of the King's Gift 1 :10 

Octob' 10 ToD^toCap'^Rt. Harris for a bill of Exche for £12:16:4 

Ster@270cC* 47:10:4 

This last payment was apparently made in accordance with the 
vote of the vestry on September 10 that a bill of exchange of £12.16.10 
be provided for the discharge of Mr. Newman's account, although 
there is a discrepancy of six pence between the two amounts. 

On the opposite side of the Account Book the Church is credited 
with, the following items: 

1733 
Sepf 13 by D° [Cash] Taken out of the Church box to pay Cap" 

Harris on IVF Newman's Ace* 22:13 

24 by D° [Cash received] of Cap° Jn° Crocker 0:10 

October 14 " D° of Cap'» Crocker 10 

The first entry probably relates also to the action of the vestry of 
September 10, and would seem to indicate that a portion of the pay- 
ment of October 10 to Captain Harris was drawn from a special 
source instead of from current receipts. The vestry had voted how- 
ever that such payments should be made from the Church stock. 
The last two entries represent a rebate from Captain Crocker on 
the payment to him of £1.10 on September 24. This credit was re- 
peated through error on October 14 and was offset by the debit of 
April 15, 1734, below. 

Turning back to the debit side of the Account Book a number of 
charges are found for housing and safeguarding the gift: 

1733 

Novemb'' 3 To D° [Cash Paid] 

for a box to Carry the plate 2. — .- ' 

for a lock to D° 0. 5- 

for handles for D° 4 - 

for hinges for D** 1.11 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 313 

December 22 To D° to M"^ HUlard making the Silver Cup-Cover 

fitt for the King's Cup 1- 3 

1734 

Jan'y 7 To D° for alter? the Ch : Box & making a new drawer 

& a box for ye Bapt^ Silv' bason 1:10:-. 

To D° for a p of handles for y^ box 0.4.0 ^ 

a drawer lock for D° 5:- I o-14-2 

2 brass handles for y^ Drawer 1:10 j 

a Box lock & hinges 3:4 ) 

31 To D° For a Box Case with lock hinges and handle to 

put the Church books In 6: :- 

Aprill 15 To Cap" Crocker havs twice C* for 10. p mistake 10 - 

Aprill 22 To d° paid Cap" Rob* Harris in full for 14^ Sterl. part 

of the ffees for the King's Gift 58:16:0 

The payment of April 22 to Captain Harris, which also was au- 
thorized at the vestry meeting of September 10, 1733, completes the 
list of disbursements which followed the receipt of the Royal gift. 

One of the articles received, the twenty yards of damask cloth, 
was not utilized for some time. It will be recalled that the vestry 
on September 17, 1733, had voted that it should "remain intire, as 
now is Untill further Order." But eventually, on March 25, 1735, 
the vestry — 

Voted That the p« damask Cloth contain « 12 Yds. part of the 20 Yds. 
in his Majesty's Gift, as appears p Invoyce in the Vote dated 17 Septem' 
1733 be iSediately made up for the Use of the Church. Voted That the 
remaining Eight Yards of the above mentioned 20 Yds Damask Cloth, 
be presented to the Rev^ Doc' T. Cutler, by the Church Wardens, as a 
free Gift: And in Case he refuses to accept of the Same, Then Said 8 
Yds. damask Cloth be immediately made up for the Use of the Church. 

From the wording of the vote, a doubt evidently existed in the 
minds of the vestry as to whether the Rector would consider this a 
proper method of disposing of the church's property. The sus- 
picion was well founded, for at a meeting on April 3, it was "Re- 
ported by the Church Wardens That by Virtue of a Vote dated 25th 
Ultimo They presented to the Revr^ Doc^ T. Cutler the 8 Yards 
Damask Cloth therein mentioned; And he refused to accept the 
Same." The disDOsition which the vestry finally made of the eight 
yards is indicated by a charge in the Account Book under date of 
July 7, 1735, of cash paid "for making 4 Table Cloths 14:-." 



314 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

And on April 26 of the following year when the newly elected Senior 
Warden gave a receipt, according to custom, for the church property, 
based on a complete inventory taken by his predecessor, April 7, 
1735, he excepted "the p« Damask Cloth q'^ [quoadl 8 Yds. therein 
mentioned is now made up in four Table Cloths." This inventory 
had recorded: 

1 p® Damask Cloth containing 8 Yds. , , 

5 New damask Table Cloths & 2 Old Table Cloths. 

6 ditto . . . Napkins. ... 6 Old Napkins . . . 
1 Damask Altar Peice. 

Apparently, then, the entire twenty yards was utilized for cloths 
and napkins for the Communion Table. 

The damask Altar piece seems to have been diverted from its 
natural employment ( a frontal, or hanging for the front o f the Altar . ) ,^ 
and used in a somewhat curious way. An organ was installed in the 
church in 1736, and on December 10 of that year the vestry "Voted 
That the Ten Commandments w**^ Suitable Ornaments, be wrote 
& painted as soon as possible And That the Crimson Damask Altar 
peice be Appropriated for Curtains to the Organ-Loft." An altar 
piece would scarcely seem to have been of sufficient size to furnish 
curtains for the organ loft of Christ Church, and this was evidently 
the case. For in a special account of expenses incurred in connection 
with the organ (recorded under the year 1736), a payment was en- 
tered "To Robert Jenkins & Lind^ Wallis for making the Curtins & 
damask to Compleat them . . . 25:5:10." And on April 16, 1737, 
the new Senior Warden receipted for the church property "with this 
further difference, that the Damask Altar piece is made Use off, 
towards making eight Curtains for the Organ-loft." 

The more perishable portion of the King's gift has disappeared in 
the course of time, but the more substantial, and also more impor- 
tant, part is still in the possession of the church. The Communion 
plate (two flagons, chalice and paten, receiver or alms basin) is used 
to-day whenever the Holy Communion is celebrated. All the five 
pieces were made by Joseph Allen and Mordecai Fox in London. 
They bear the Royal arms and are inscribed: "The Gift of His 

1 See p. 312, above, where a charge of two shillings for hooks for the Altar 
piece is recorded under date of September 10, 1733. 



1917] THE KING S GIFT TO CHKIST CHUKCH, BOSTON, 1733 315 

Majesty King George II to Christ Church at Boston in New Eng- 
land. At the Request of His Excellency Governor Belcher 1733." ^ 
It was fortunate for Christ Church that the break between the church 
and its last pre-RevoIutionary Rector, Dr. Mather Byles, Jr., came 
about on the 18th of April, 1775, for the church silver did not ac- 
company him when he left Boston for Halifax in 1776, as was the 
fate of some other churches with loyalist rectors. 

The Royal Bible and five of the fourteen Prayer Books are also 
left, and the Bible and one Prayer Book are shown, opened for in- 
spection, in a case in the vestry room. The Bible is a large folio 
printed by John Baskett at Oxford in 1717,^ and is one of the so- 
called "Vinegar Bibles." ^ It is ruled by hand with red ink through- 
out the book. On the outside of the front cover is the inscription: 
"His Majesty's Gift, To Christ Church, at Boston New England." 
The Royal arms, with the letters G. R., are stamped on both the 
front and back covers. The inscription is impressed on an inlay of 
leather and, a portion of the inlay having worn away, it can be seen 
that a lettering of some sort was originally stamped on the cover 
itself, but there is not enough visible to indicate what was the nature 
of it. Curiously enough the Royal arms are those of George I in- 
stead of George II. This can probably be ejylained on the supposi- 
tion that when the Bible was printed in 1717 a number of copies 
were bound up by Royal order, the "super libros" of George I im- 
pressed, and the books deposited in the Great Wardrobe for future 
distribution as occasion might arise. 

The book is in excellent condition but has been rebacked, evidently 
in accordance with instructions from the vestry which, on September 
1, 1746, "Voted That the Large Church Bible of Christ Church 
Being out of Repare That It be Sent to London To be new Bound as 
Sone as posable." It was " Sent with Cap* Fones " ^ to London, and in 
the Account Book, under date of April 11, 1748, the charge appears, 
"To Binding ye Church Bible £2.5. Sterhng at 1000 p"" C* 24.15.-." 

» This inscription is copied from the chalice. The style of the inscription on 
the flagons is varied slightly in two words: "Excell°ci' Govern''." 

2 The imprint on the title-page to the New Testament portion is dated 1716. 

3 The title at the top of the first column on the page where the major part of 
the twentieth chapter of St. Luke is printed reads: "The parable of the vinegar," 
instead of "The parable of the vineyard." 

^ Account Book. 



316 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

Each cover has two holes near the outer edge in which, probably, 
silk ties were originally fastened; or it may be that they will explain 
the phrase in the invoice, "Strung with blue garter Ribbons." ^ 

Of the five Prayer Books one is evidently the survivor of the 
"2. Com: Pra: Books Bound in Turkey leather" as described in the 
invoice. It bears the same inscription as the Bible, and like it is 
ruled throughout by hand in red ink. The imprint reads: "London, 
Printed by the Assigns of His Majesty's Printer, and of Henry Hills, 
deceased, MDCCXXXI. Price One Pound Five Shillings Unbound." 
The other four are a part of the " 12 Com. Pray, books fol. bound in 
Calf Gilt & fillited." Of these, two, the most important and most 
used ones, have evidently been rebound, for they are somewhat cut 
down and the calf is of the natural color instead of dark blue like 
the others. Two of them form part of the four books covered ;by the 
vote of the vestry of September 17, 1733, which provided, "that the 
Rev* Doc' Cutler have the choice of four Common prayer Books 
the One for y^ Reading-Desk and the three others for the Comunion 
Table." This fact is established by the presence, on the verso of the 
frontispiece of each one, of the inscription " For the Use of the Altar 
A. D. 1733" in the handwriting of the clerk of the vestry, Francis 
Beteilhe. Another is one of the two books which were reserved at 
the same time for the Governor and Lieutenant-Governor. It has 
on the verso of the frontispiece the words " For the Use of His Ex- 
cellency the Governor A. D. 1733 " also in Beteilhe's handwriting.^ 



1 A copy of the Vinegar Bible recently offered in the catalogue of an English 
antiquarian bookseller is described as follows: "The Holy Bible, with frontis- 
piece and vignettes by Vander Gucbt, ruled in red, 2 vols. roy. folio, Large Paper 
Copy, specially bound for King George I, in full dark green morocco, broad tooled 
ornamental borders, back panels containing his monogram, G.R., surmounted 
by Crown, royal arms stamped in gold on covers, silk ties, with tassels of gold 
wire (some defective), very fine copy. Oxford, J. Baskett, 1717." 

2 Francis Beteilhe was chosen clerk of the vestry January 15, 1733, and filled 
the position for some six years, the latest entry in the Records in his hand^Titing 
and over his signature being under date of July 30, 1739. On March 19, 1733, 
the vestry, "perceiving the irregular Order in keeping Records of our Meetings 
(as it too plaialy appears by the foregoing pages) It is now Voted That all the 
Subscriptions Books & Papers be deliver'^ to Said Fr Beteilhe To make a faith- 
full & Exact Copy of all our Votes and Also make a Sett of Books of Accomi^ts 
that we and our Successors might for the futm-e transact & manage the Church- 
Affairs with more Ease, Satisfaction and evident benefit to Christ Church," 
As a result of this vote all the earUest records of Christ Church, as they appear 



19171 THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 317 

The imprint is the same as that of the first book described with the 
exception of the last line which reads, "Price Eight Shillings Un- 
bound." 1 The first and taller book is evidently simply a large 
paper copy, for the original text-page and typographical details are 
the same in all five. 

But their chief interest hes in the fact that they are excellent ex- 
amples of the adaptation of the Church of England Prayer Book to 
the changed conditions which followed the American Revolution. 
In looking at the rebound folio copy which is on exhibition, opened 
at that part of the Morning Service where the prayer for the King 
has been changed to a prayer for the President of the United States, 
it is not unnatural to regard it as a manifestation of patriotism. As 
a matter of fact, however, the changes in all the five books are simply 
evidences of a conformity to the Liturgy of the American Episcopal 
Church which made possible a continued use of handsome and legi- 
ble copies of the Book of Common Prayer hallowed by association 

and long use.^ 

In the few Episcopal churches which still had rectors after the 

in the first books of Vestry Records, Proprietors' Records, and Account Books, 
are in Beteilhe's characteristic and legible handwriting. Many, if not all, of the 
originals from which the transcripts were made are preserved, neatly docketed, 
among the church's files. Beteilhe was also active in the early days of Free 
Masonry in Boston. I am indebted to Mr. Melvin M. Johnson, Past Grand 
Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, for the foUowmg account. The 
Provincial Grand Lodge was founded on July 30, 1733, "receiving on the same 
evening a petition for the organization of a particular Lodge which origmal peti- 
tion is still in our archives. Francis Beteilhe joined the Lodge on July 24, 1734. 
Just when he became Grand Secretary of the Provincial Grand Lodge we do not 
know, but it was prior to June 24, 1737. We know also that in 1736 he was 
Secretary of the First Lodge in Boston, and we have his original records during 
his incumbency of that office." He continued as secretary of the Grand Lodge 
until August 7, 1739, and of the First Lodge until December 26, 1739. Cf. Pro- 
ceedings of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts for the years: 1871, p. 288; 18S3, 
pp. 158, 159; 1899, p. 72; also Proceedings Massachusetts Historical Society, 

xlix, 289. ,. , , , 

1 As a matter of accuracy it should be stated that a slip of paper has been 
pasted over the major part of the imprint in the volume which is shown m the 
vestry room, with the obvious intention of covering the Royal arms, which 
were employed after the manner of a printer's device above the imprmt. 

2 The Rev Henry Burroughs in his address on the one hundred and fiftieth 
anniversary, December 29, 1873, and the Rev. Charles W- Duane in a simil^ 
address on the one hundred and seventy-fifth anniversary, December 29, 1898, 
refer briefly to the adaptation of the Prayer Books to the American Liturgy. 



318 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

Declaration of Independence in 1776, difficulties immediately arose 
as to the use of what were termed the ''State Prayers" — that is, 
those for the King and Royal Family. As clergjTuen of the Church 
of England who had taken the "Oath of the Kings Supremacy" the 
ministers felt constrained to read the State Prayers, but in view of 
the temper of the times this was manifestly impossible without 
creating disturbances, or even riots. They were therefore confronted 
with the dilemma of either abandoning their obligations by omitting 
the prayers, or else having their churches closed, divine service 
given up entirely, and their congregations scattered among the 
patriotic Congregational churches. The Rev. Mr. Parker of Trinity 
Church, who was for a time the only Episcopal clergjTnan in Boston, 
met the issue promptly and laid a statement before the Wardens 
and Vestry of Trinity Church on July 18, 1776, to the effect that 
having been publicly interrupted when reading the prayers for the 
King on the previous Sunday, and having been threatened with 
interruptions and insults in the future if the prayers were read, he 
was apprehensive that some damage would accrue to the proprietors 
of the church if he continued to carry on the service in the usual 
manner. The vestry after some debate concluded that it would be 
necessary either to close the church or to omit part of the Liturgy. 
Accordingly they voted that Mr. Parker be desired to continue to 
officiate and requested that he should omit that portion of the ser- 
vice which related to the King, and this vote was concurred in a few 
days later by the proprietors.^ 

Christ Church was without a minister from 1775 until the advent 
of the Rev. Stephen Lewis in 1778.^ At a vestry meeting held JNIarch 
31, 1779, it was "Voted. That the Reverend M"" Lewis be desired to 
prepare a proper form of Prayer for the Congress of the United 
States, for the Several States, and for their Success in the present 
important Contest to be used daily in the Church. Voted. That the 



' W. S. Perrj^, Journals of General Conventions of the Protestant Episcopal 
Church, iii. lOl-lOS.f 

2 "Since the War two Clergymen have settled in this State, Revd. Mr. Lewis, 
who was Chaplain in Burgoyne's Regiment of light Dragoons, left that Service 
and came to this Town in 1778 and settled at Christ's Church; The other, the 
Revd. Mr. Fisher, who came from Annapolis in Nova Scotia in 1780 and settled 
in Salem" (Rev. Samuel Parker, Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, to the Rev. 
William White of Philadelphia, June 21, 1784, ibid. iii. 57). 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 319 

Church Wardens together wi*'' D' Foster be a Committee to wait 
on the Rev* M' Lewis with a Copy of the foregoing vote." The 
records contain no further reference to this action, nor do the jBve 
Prayer Books show any evidence of alterations which can be regarded 
as the result of this Vote. 

After the close of the Revolutionary War a series of conventions 
was held, either of the Episcopal churches in individual States or 
those of several States acting in conjunction, all working toward 
two ends: the establishment of an American Episcopate, and a 
Liturgy appropriate for Episcopal churches now finally detached 
from their relationship to the Church of England. The connection 
of Christ Church with the conventions which were held in Boston 
is shown by the following extracts from the Proprietors' Record 
Book (1724-1806) : 

At a meeting of the Proprietors in this Church Sunday Aug* 28*'* 
1785 when Divine Service was over in the afternoon being Warned from 
the Desk The Church Wardens informed the proprietors they had rec'* 
a Letter from the Rev*^ Samuel Parker one of the Committee of the Epis- 
copal Clergy in Convention held at Boston Septem' 8^^ 1784 & empower- 
ing them to Call a Convention of the Episcopal Churches in this and the 
Neighboring States at such time & place as they shall judge most nec- 
essary and Convenient. Said Committee therefore requested the War- 
dens of this Church to propose to their Members to Choose one or more 
of their members to attend a Convention to be held at Boston on Wed- 
nesday the 7*^ Day of Septem'' Next then to dehberate on Some Method 
for preserving Uniformity in divine Worship & adopting such measures 
as may tend to the Welfare & Prosperity of the Episcopal Church in 
the American States. The Proprietors taking the same into Considera- 
tion voted to send two Members Viz: Voted that Thomas I vers Esq' 
and James Sherman one of the Wardens be desiered to go as members 
of Christ Church for the Purposes aforesaid. Recorded by me James 
Sherman. 

Nearly a year later it was reported : 

At a meeting of the Proprietors of Christ Church on Thursday Aug* 
24th 1786, The Delegates appointed at a Proprietors meeting held 
Aug* 28*'' 1785 to meet in a Convention to be held at Boston on Wed- 
nesday the 7*** day of September 1785 then to deliberate on some method 
for preserving uniformity in divine worship and adopting such measures 
as may tend to the Welfare & Prosperity of the Episcopal Church in 



320 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

the American States laid before the Proprietors the Proceedings of the 
Convention for their approbation. Voted To Except the Alterations 
and Amendments in the Liturgy by the Convention and to adopt the 
same as Trinity Church and to begin Sunday Aug* 27*^.^ Recorded 

James Sherman. 

It is possible that some of the alterations, made by hand, which 
can be seen in the copy of the Prayer Book exhibited in the church, 
may have followed this vote of the proprietors, but a comparison of 
the changes which were made with those recommended by the Boston 
Convention would seem to indicate that the actual revision was at 
a later period. It can only be definitely stated that while some of 
the changes could have been made at this time, others could not 
have been until the autumn of 1789 at the earliest. 

At a General Convention held at Philadelphia in September- 
October, 1785, in which seven States were represented but to which 
New England sent no delegates, a revision of the Prayer Book was 
undertaken, resulting in what is known as the "Proposed Book," 
published in 1786. This book encountered a very general opposi- 
tion and it remained for the General Convention of October, 1789, 
at Philadelphia (the first convention sitting with two Houses, the 
House of Bishops and the House of Deputies) to prepare what was 

* "These alterations were introduced into the services of Trinity Church by 
the Rev. Mr. Parker on the first Sunday in August, 1786" (W. McGarvey, Litur- 
giae Americanae, or the Book of Common Prayer as used in the United States of 
America, 1895, p. xxii). This statement was apparently made on the authority 
of a letter written January 28, 1788, to Bishop Seabury of Connecticut by the 
Rev. Samuel Parker of Trinity Church (Journals of General Conventions, iii. 
365). I am, however, indebted to Mr. Robert Treat Paine, Clerk of Trinity 
Church, for the information that on July 27, 1786, the vestry voted to adopt 
the alterations in. the Liturgy as proposed by the Boston Convention. On July 
30 the Proprietors of Trinity also voted to adopt the alterations and provided 
that the service should "be performed conformable thereto on the second Sun- 
day in August." Cf. Annals of King's Chapel, ii. 309. More than four years 
later at a meeting of the vestry of Trinity Church, November 30, 1790, it was 
voted that in order that the congregation should have an opportunity of becom- 
ing acquainted with the new form of Prayer agreed upon by the General Con- 
vention at Philadelphia in October, 1789, it should be used in the church on 
Sundays and Holy-days from December 12, 1790, to January 3, 1791, when the 
Proprietors were to hold a meeting. At the Proprietors' meeting held on 
January 16, 1791 (adjourned from January 3), "The Proprietors also expressed 
their Approbation of the Constitution & form of Prayer framed & revised by the 
general Convention holden at Philadelphia Octor 1789." 



1917] THE king's gift TO CHRIST CHUUCH, BOSTON, 1733 321 

the first Prayer Book "according to the use of the Protestant Epis- 
copal Church in the United States of America." It was declared by 
the General Convention "to be the Liturgy of this Church," and 
was ordered to be in use from the first day of October, 1790. As a 
result of this action of the Convention in October, 1789, the first 
edition of the American Prayer Book was published in duodecimo 
form at Philadelphia in September, 1790, by Hall & Sellers.^ 

At a meeting of the proprietors of Christ Church held May 18, 
1791, two deputies were chosen to attend a Diocesan Convention at 
Trinity Church on May 24th and they were authorized to accept, 
on behalf of the church, the Constitution and Form of Prayer as 
set forth by the General Convention of 1789.2 At a subsequent 
meeting of the proprietors. May 26, 1791, final action was taken by 
the church as appears in the records: "Whereas the Wardens of this 
Church have by the Power Delegated to them from the Proprietors 
of Said Church attended at the Convention holden at Trinity Church 
24*^ day of May 1791 acceded to and adopted the Constitution and 
Form of Prayer Set forth by the general Convention holden at 
Philadelphia in October 1789 tis now Voted That the Said Form of 
Prayer be used in this Church on Whitsunday next." 

The Christ Church Prayer Books have a peculiar historical in- 
terest inasmuch as they represent four distinct phases, and several 
periods, of alteration. First, the Prayer Book exhibited in the 
Church, Folio 1,^ which was evidently the first to undergo altera- 
tion, was changed by hand throughout and with no insertion of 
printed matter. It was brought into general, though not absolute, 

1 The Pennsylvania Gazette for Wednesday, September 8, 1790, contains an 
advertisement of the Book of Common Prayer as "Just pubHshed, and now 
Selling, at W. and D. Hall's Book-store, in Market-Street." A certificate of the 
Clerk of the District of Pennsylvania which appears in the advertisement re- 
cites, "that on the Seventh Day of August in the Fifteenth Year of the Inde- 
pendence . . . William Hall, of the said District hath deposited in this Office 
the Title of a Book, the Rights WTiereof he claims as Proprietor, in the Words 
following, to wit: . . ." Then follows the detailed title of the Prayer Book. 
This advertisement appears again three times each, in September and October, 
and also on November 3. 

2 Proprietors' Records (1724-1806). 

3 For convenience in description the several Prayer Books (with the exception 
of the large paper copy) are mdicated as Folios 1, 2, 3, and 4, the numbering 
being based on the probable order of alteration. The large paper copy is called 
Folio 5. 



322 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

harmony with the first edition of 1790, so far as three of the principal 
offices of the Church are concerned, — that is, Morning Prayer, 
Evening Prayer, and Litany. In some respects it corresponds with 
the Proposed Book of 1786, but it is impossible to say whether this 
comes about by intent or simply results from the difficulty of making 
some of the alterations authorized by the 1790 edition, notably 
additional introductory sentences and two of the Canticles for 
Evening Prayer.^ From internal evidence the changes can prob- 
ably be assigned to the end of 1789 or the early part of 1790. 

The verso of the frontispiece has the words "For the Use of the 
Altar A.D. 1733 " written by Francis Beteilhe.^ On the title-page 
the words "According to the Use of the Church of England" and 
the Royal arms have been pasted over with slips of paper. The 
Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and the Tables of Lessons 
are left untouched. In the Morning Prayer the second form of the 
Absolution is lacking,^ and one of the Versicles and the last four 
verses of the Venite are pasted over. In the Te Deum the few varia- 
tions in wording from the English form are made with a pencil. All 
the verses of the Benedictus with the exception of the first four; the 
repetition of the Lord's Prayer; and all but the last of the Versicles 
which precede the Collects, are pasted over. The Prayer for the 
King is altered both by pasting and the use of a pen. The words 
"behold and bless thy servant the President of the United States 
and all others in authority" are written on the slip which conceals 
the words "our most gracious sovereign Lord King George," and in 
general in this prayer the necessary changes are made in ink. The 
Prayers for the Royal Family are pasted over, and in the Prayer for 
the Clergy the pen is again employed.^ 



1 The Bonum est confiteri and Benedic, anima mea, which were neither in the 
English Prayer Book nor in the Proposed Book, but are in the American Book of 
1790 and subsequent editions. 

2 This inscription is found in Folios 1 and 4. The inscription "For the Use 
of His Excellency the Governor A.D. 1733" is in Folio 2. 

3 Neither the English Book nor the Proposed Book has the second form of 
the Absolution which appears in all editions of the American Book both in Morn- 
ing and Evening Prayer. 

* It is not unlikely that these changes were made by the Rev. William. Mon- 
tague, Rector of Christ Church 1786-1792. A comparison of the handwriting 
in the volume with several manuscript sermons written at about this time by 
Mr. Montague, kindly provided for inspection by his grandson, Mr. Henry W. 



19171 THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 323 

The Evening Service is corrected in a similar manner, and the 
Athanasian Creed, which in the English book follows the Evening 
Prayer, is abolished by pasting two leaves together. In the Litany 
the petitions relating to the King, Royal Family, Lords of Council, 
etc., are pasted over, and the American petition for Christian Rulers 
and Magistrates written in ink on the first slip of paper. The Com- 
munion Service is left untouched notwithstanding its several refer- 
ences to the King. There are no other changes through the book 
particularly worthy of note, except that the Commination Service 
and the special services for November 5, January 30, May 29, and 
June 11 have been removed.^ The Thh-ty-Nine Articles and Con- 
stitution and Canons are left untouched in their proper place at the 
end of the volume. 

Next, Folio 2 represents the second phase of alteration. This 
volume' has been rebound and rather badly trimmed in the^ process. 
On the front cover is an inlay in red leather with the words " Christ's 
Church Boston 1809." While it is probable that the new covers 
may be of this period, the alterations within the book are of 1792. 
A second edition of the first Prayer Book was published in 1791, 
also in duodecimo form.^ In addition to the two complete editions, 
a reprint in foHo and in quarto "of the parts in general use" was 
issued in 1792.^ This partial folio reprint was obviously intended 
for insertion in the old English folio Prayer Books which had been 

Montague of Boston, shows a marked similarity, although the evidence is not 
sufficiently clear to warrant a positive conclusion. ,. , „ . .. 

1 The Gun-powder Treason, King Charles the Martyr, Kmg's Restoration, 

and the accession of George II. ^„ ,„^. , i.i, * i 

2 The Pennsylvania Gazette of Wednesday, December 28, 1791, has the fol- 
lowing advertisement of the second edition: "Philadelphia, December 20, 1791. 
This Day is Published, and now Selling, At W. and D. Hall's Book-store, In 
Market-Street, No. 51, (Price 4/9 the single Book, 4/2 by the Dozen, 3/9 by the 
Hundred, bound, or 2/6 in Sheets,) A Neat Edition of the Book of Common 
Prayer " The advertisement then continues with the wording of the ad- 
vertisement of September 8, 1790, including the certificate as to the copyright. 
It is repeated twice in January, 1792, and in February; once each m March and 
April, and three times in May. It is possible that it first appeared in the issue of 
December 21, 1791, but there is no copy of this issue, nor of January 4, 1792, m 
the files of the American Antiquarian Society. _ 

3 The General Convention of 1789 had instructed the Committee appointed 
to superintend the printing of the Prayer Book; "besides a full and complete 
edition of the said book, printed in folio or octavo, or in both, to have an edition 
pubUshed, to contain only the parts in general use and the Collects of the day, 



324 THE COLONL^L SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

in use in the older churches.^ It comprised the Table of Lessons, 
IMorning and Evening Prayer, Litany, Occasional Prayers and 
Thanksgivings, Communion Service, Form of Prayer and Thanks- 
giving for the Fruits of the Earth,^ Ten Selections of Psalms, 
Portions of Psalms for Holy-days to be used in place of the Venite, 
and a few hymns.^ The reprint is without pagination but has sig- 
natures, [A] -I, K-Q, in twos, or thirty-two leaves. 

Up to the present time, so far as the writer is aware, the time and 
place of publication and the names of the publishers have never 
been ascertained. In his bibhography of the standard editions of 
the American Book the Rev. Dr. Gibson wrote : * 

An unique copy of this folio partial edition, — corresponding exactly 
in the portions given, in typography and spelling, to the duodecimo 
editions of 1790 and 1791, in its original blue paper cover, and contain- 
ing sixty -four printed pages — may be seen in the Rector's library of 
the late Dr. Edson at Lowell, Mass.^ A copy also of the quarto partial 
edition is preserved in the American Antiquarian Library, at Worcester, 

with references to the Epistles and Gospels" (Journals of General Conventions, 
i. 112). 

1 The Rev. Dr. Frederick Gibson in his Bibliographical Sketch of the Standard 
Editions of the American Prayer Book (in Liturgiae Americanae, p. Ixi) men- 
tions folio copies of English Prayer Books, altered, by insertion of printed matter, 
to conform to the American Liturgy, in St. John's Parish, Baltimore and Har- 
ford Counties, Md. (now in the Maryland Diocesan Library, Baltimore), St. John's 
Church, Portsmouth, N. H., Christ Church, Cambridge, Mass., and Christ 
Church, Boston. Both the Maryland Diocesan Library copy (London, 1718) 
and the Clirist Church Cambridge copy (London, 1766) were altered by the in- 
sertion of the partial folio of 1792. The Cambridge church also has a folio 
Prayer Book (Cambridge, England, 1757) in which alterations were made by 
hand in the Morning and Evening Prayer and Litany, although, curiously 
enough, the State Prayers were left untouched in the first two services. 

"^ For use "Yearly on the First Thursday in November, or on such other Day 
as shall be appointed by the Civil Authority." 

^ The hymns were six in number; two each for Christmas and Easter Day; 
one each for Good Friday and Whitsunday. 

* Liturgiae Americanae, p. Ixi. 

^ Through the courtesy of the Rev. Appleton Grannis, Rector of St. Anne's 
Church, Lowell, I have been able to examine this copy which is still preserved 
in the Rectory library. It is a tall copy, 95^ by 15?-^ inches, in perfect condi- 
tion. On the fly-leaf is written "Maria Parkers 1S40" and in a different hand- 
writing "Partial Edition of 1790." "Maria Parkers 1840" is also written on the 
inside of the back cover. The Rectorj^ library was mainly formed by the late 
Rev. Dr. Theodore Edson when Rector of St. Anne's Church. Mrs. Edson 
(Rebecca Parker) and Maria Parker were daughters of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Parker, 



1917] THE king's gift TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 325 

Mass., and this copy was given to that Hbrary by the famous early 
printer Isaiah Thomas, . . . and he affirmed that it had been printed 
by the old firm of Thomas & Andrews. These partial editions have no 
title, publisher, or date on them. 

As a matter of fact, however, the American Antiquarian Society 
possesses a fine copy of the partial folio reprint, bound in boards, 
9/4 by 16 inches, as well as the partial quarto reprint. The latter, 
which contains the book-plate of Isaiah Thomas, has WTitten on the 
fly-leaf: "Morning & Evening Prayer. Printed by Thomas & An- 
drews," in the handwriting of Isaiah Thomas. The former has on 
the fly-leaf: "Morning & Evening Service. Printed by Thomas & 
Andrews;" and at the top of signature [A] "Boston, Printed by 
Thomas- & Andrews, 17 " also in Isaiah Thomas's handwriting.^ 
The correspondence, preserved in the library of the American Anti- 
quarian Society, between Ebenezer T. Andrews of Thomas & An- 
drews, Boston, and Isaiah Thomas in Worcester, seems to indicate 
that Thomas & Andrews had issued proposals for printing an edi- 
tion of the Prayer Book but that this project was interfered with 
by reason of copyright difficulties. Andrews wrote Thomas on 
February 5, 1792: "I spoke to Dr. Parker [of Trinity Church] about 
Prayer Book. He says there wdll be a general Convention in June, 
at which time the dispute about Copyright will be settled, and he 
thinks we had better wait until that time. He has as yet only one 
paper returned, which is from Newburyport and has upwards of 
200 on it." ^ Then a letter from Andrews to Thomas, under date of 

Rector of Trinity Church, Boston (later the second Bishop of Massachusetts), 
and it can be safely assumed that this copy came from Dr. Parker. 

1 These two copies appear to be identical, textually and typographically, ex- 
cept that in the quarto the Table of Lessons is printed horizontally on the pages 
instead of vertically, and the verso of Q2 has four hymns only instead of six as in 
the folio. The uncompleted date in the folio copy may be accounted for on the 
supposition that the notes in the volume were inserted at the time when Thomas 
presented his library to the Antiquarian Society in 1812, or later, and that his 
recollection as to the time of publication was not sufficiently exact to warrant his 
completing the date. 

^ The reason for Dr. Parker's activities and interest in the printing of the 
Prayer Book is clearly shown by the following extracts. At a convention in 
Boston, January 26, 1791, it was "Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Con- 
vention, that it is expedient that there be printed an edition of the alterations 
in the Service of the Church, contained in the Form of Prayer set forth by the 
General Convention;" and "Resolved, That the Committee chosen yesterday, 



326 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

March 18, 1792, shows that a plan of printing the "parts in general 
use" had been decided on: 

I want three bundles of six reams of your bible paper. Have agreed 
with Dr. Parker to print some extracts from the folio Prayer Book, to 
complete some folio Prayer Books, belonging to the Church etc. and at 
the same time shall print some in quarto for sale, as the extracts con- 
tain almost all of the Prayer Book which is altered. — these, I doubt 
not, will sell well, and induce our subscribers for the Prayer Book (of 
which there are I believe 2 or 3000) to wait until after the Convention 
meets, when Dr. Parker thinks we had better print an octavo instead of 
a 12 mo.^ 

Finally, an advertisement of Thomas & Andrews which first ap- 
peared in the Columbian Centinel of Wednesday, June 27, 1792, of 
the partial edition in quarto and "A few sets of the same, in Folio," 
establishes the exact time of publication.^ 



be requested to procure the same to be printed, and to forward one copy to each 
Congregation." A few months later at la Convention held in Boston, May 24, 
1791, it was "Resolved, That the Form of Prayer set forth by the General Con- 
vention, be adopted and used in this Church." "Resolved, That the Rev. Dr. 
Bass, Rev. Dr. Parker, and Rev. Mr. Fisher, be a Committee to confer with any 
Printers on the printing of an edition of the Common Prayer, this day adopted 
by the Convention; and, in case any Printer shall undertake it, the said Com- 
mittee is requested to inspect the Press " (Journals of the Conventions of the 
Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Diocese of Massachusetts, from the Year 
1784 to the Year 1828 inclusive. Printed by order of the Convention of 1848, pp. 
29, 32, 33). Dr. Bass was settled at Newburyport, Mr. Fisher at Salem, and 
it seems probable that the active supervision of the work would have fallen to the 
lot of Dr. Parker of Boston. 

' I am indebted to the American Antiquarian Society for permission to print 
these letters from the Isaiah Thomas Papers in the Society's library; to our 
associate Dr. Charles L. Nichols of Worcester for his assistance; and to Mrs. 
Mary R. Reynolds of the Antiquarian Society, whose interest and assiduous 
research in the files of the Thomas correspondence have resulted in the fact of 
the publishers and place of imprint being established. 

2 The advertisement, which also appeared in the Columbian Centinel of July 
4, IS, and 25, is as follows: 

Episcopal Prayer Book. 

Just published, in Quarto, on a large type, and to be sold by THOMAS and AN- 
DREWS, Faust's statue, No. 45, Newbury-Street, 

THE Morning and Evening Service, Litany, Occasional Prayers, Communion 
Service, and selections of Psalms, with the Table of Lessons, and Calendar of 
the Protestant Episcopal Church, as revised and set forth by the General Con- 



1917] THE king's gift TO CHEIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 327 

The title-page of Folio 2 is unaltered and the Act for the Uni- 
formity of Common Prayer and jfirst leaf of the Kalendar are left 
in the book, but the succeeding leaves of the Kalendar have been 
cut out. Then the "parts in general use" are inserted in their 
proper places throughout the book, the corresponding English por- 
tions having been removed. Also the Athanasian Creed and the 
four special services have been cut out, but not the Commination 
Service. Aside from the evidence of the height and wddth of the 
text-page,^ quality of the paper and the signatures, this reprint 
can be easily identified by reason of several typographical pecu- 
liarities found only in the first Book.^ 

There is one marked variation from the 1790 edition which 
occurs in the Occasional Prayers and Thanksgivings where thirteen 
prayers are lacking in the reprint. This omission is partially offset, 
however, by leaving in the book the English form of Prayers and 
Thanksgivings where practically all of the prayers can be found.^ 



vention of said Church, held at Philadelphia, in October, 1789, and now used by 
the Churches of that denomination in this Commonwealth. Also, 

A few sets of the same, in Folio, price Three Shillings and Nine Pence, by which 
the old Prayer Book, of that size, may be made to answer to the revised form. 

June 27, 1792. 

- ^ The text-page of the partial folio, 1792, measures roughly 63^ by 113^ 
inches; the text-page of the full folio, 1795, 7 J^ by 13% inches. 

2 That is, the first edition of the Prayer Book, both the issues of 1790 and 1791, 
as differentiated from the first Standard Prayer-Book of 1793. The peculiari- 
ties referred to are in the Apostles Creed where the words "[He descended into 
Hell]" are italicized and placed between brackets. This was corrected by the 
General Convention of 1792. Also in the Communion Service in the Prayer of 
Oblation which has the words "which we now ofi'er unto thee" in small capitals; 
and in the Invocation in the phrase "thy Word and Holy Spirit" where "word" 
is spelled without the initial capital. In the 1793 Standard the situation is ex- 
actly reversed; the phrase in the Oblation being entirely in lower case, and "word " 
being spelled generally, though not invariably, with an initial capital. Also in the 
first petition in the Litany, "O God the Father, in Heaven," the 1790 book has 
a comma after "Father," while in the 1793 Standard the comma is placed after 
the word "God." There are also several minor points of difference which are 
not sufficiently important to be noted in detail. 

^ The differences, if any, in eleven of the prayers are slight, the spirit and pur- 
port being unchanged. The prayer in the standard American Book "In Time 
of Great Sickness and Mortality" and the prayer of thanksgiving "For Deliver- 
ance from great Sickness and Mortality" are materially different in wording 
from the corresponding prayers in the English Book. The latter are headed re- 
spectively, "In the time of any common Plague or Sickness" and "For De- 



328 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

In the Table of Lessons for July, signature A2, entered against the 
fourth day of the month are the words "Civil and Religious Liberty" 
as in the Proposed Book, but signature A does not correspond with 
this book. The 1792 partial folio does not include the three forms 
of Baptismal Services — that is. Public and Private Baptism of 
Infants, and Baptism of those of Riper Years; and accordingly in 
FoUo 2 the English services are left in the book. As in Foho 1 
the Thirty-Nine Articles and Constitution and Canons are found 
at the end of the volume. 

Then in Folio 3 we find the third phase of alteration, probably 
made in 1795 or at all events soon after that year. In 1793 the first 
Standard Prayer Book ^ was published in octavo form by Hugh 
Gaine of New York, and in 1795 the first full folio edition of the 
American Prayer Book was issued, also by Gaine.^ Various por- 



liverance from the Plague, or other common Sickness." As the English Book of 
Common Prayer was established, substantially in its present form, by the Act 
of Uniformity in 1662 the reason for the specific reference to the Plague is ob- 
vious. Why the thirteen prayers should have been omitted in the partial edition 
cannot be explained. 

^ The terminology employed by the Rev. Dr. Gibson in his Bibliographical 
Sketch of the Prayer Book is followed here. The Book authorized by the 
General Convention of 1789, and ordered to be in force after October 1, 1790, is 
referred to as the first edition, including both the 1790 and 1791 issues. The 
Prayer Book authorized by the General Convention of 1792, and published in 

1793, was the first Standard Book, and was so established by the Third Canon 
passed in the General Convention of 1801. The Book in use at the present time 
is the seventh Standard and eighth edition of the authorized American Prayer 
Book. 

2 Thomas & Andrews published a complete edition of the Prayer Book in 

1794. It was advertised in the Columbian Centinel of Wednesday, April 23, 
1794, as "Just Published, In large 12mo. on a new fair type, price 5s 3 single, 
and 4s 6 by the dozen." There is a copy of this edition in the library of the 
American Antiquarian Society, and also of the Thomas & Andrews edition of 
1800. 

The following chronological List will prove useful: 

1785 Sept.-Oct. Proposed Book prepared by General Convention at Philadelphia. 

1786 Proposed Book published by Hall & Sellers, Philadelphia, 12mo. 
1789 Proposed Book reprinted for J. Debrett, London, 12mo. (The 

Proposed Book was not generally accepted and apparently 
was very little used.) 

1789 Sept.-Oct. The English Liturgy revised for the use of the American 

Church by General Convention at Philadelphia. 

1790 Sept. First edition of the American Prayer Book published by Hall 

& Sellers, Philadelphia, 12mo. 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 329 

tions of this 1795 edition in folio of the Standard Book were inserted 
in their proper places in Folio 3,^ following in a general way the 
method employed in Folio 2 with the 1792 partial folio, and adding 
substantially the same services. Whether these portions were re- 
moved from a completed book or some extra copies of the signatm-es 
desired were rmi off it is impossible to determine. The lack of se- 
quence in the signatures shows, however, that there was no separate 
partial edition issued as in 1792, where the signatures are consecutive.^ 
This volume (Folio 3) has some peculiarities of its own. On the 
title-page the words " According to the Use of the Church of England" 
are covered over. The Act for Uniformity has been removed, but 
the English Kalendar and Table of Lessons are left in, and the Ameri- 
can Table does not appear. The Occasional Prayers and Thanks- 
givings agree with the first edition of 1790 and the 1793 Standard 
Book.3 The American form of the three Baptismal Services which 
differ only, slightly from the English services follows the Commun- 



1791 Dec. Second issue of First Prayer Book published by Hall & Sellers, 

Philadelphia, 12mo. 

1792 June Reprint of "parts in general use" in folio and quarto by 

Thomas & Andrews, Boston. 
1792. Sept. Prayer Book revised by General Convention at New York. 

1793 First Standard Prayer Book pubUshed by Hugh Gaine, New 

York, 8vo. Also an edition published by Gaine in 12mo. 

1794 April Prayer Book published by Thomas & Andrews, Boston, 12mo. 

Also a few copies advertised in 8vo. 

1794 Another edition of Prayer Book published by Hugh Gaine, New 

York, 12mo. 

1795 First full folio American Prayer Book published by Hugh 

Gaine, New York. 

1 Through the courtesy of Mr. Horace G. Wadlin I have been able to examine 
the copy of the 1795 folio in the collection of the late Josiah H. Benton, which 
enabled me to verify absolutely these portions inserted in Folio 3 as being part 
of the 1795 issue. 

2 Including the same subject matter (the Table of Lessons, Baptismal Ser- 
vices, and Thanksgiving Day Service bemg excluded) the signatures in Folio 2 
are B-I, K-Ll, M-Q; in Folio 3, A-D, verso T2-U, X, Gg2-Ii, Kkl. 

3 One variation from the Occasional Prayers in the 1790, 1791, and 1792 
editions, as well as in the present Standard Book may be noted here. The 
prayer "For Malefactors after Condemnation" is headed "For a Malefactor 
after Condemnation" in the 1795 folio, and it is worded throughout in the sin- 
gular instead of plural form. This seems to be peculiar to the 1795 folio. It is 
not found in Gaine's 8vo edition of 1793 and 12mo edition of 1794, nor in the 
Thomas & Andrews 1794 edition. 



330 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [April, 

ion Service.^ The ten Selections of Psalms and the Portions of 
Psalms for Holy-Days precede the English Psalter, but the hymns 
which follow the Portions of Psalms in the partial folio 1792 are not 
found in the 1795 edition. The book ends with the Service for the 
Consecration of Bishops, the Thirty-Nine Articles, Constitution 
and Canons having been cut out. 

Finally, Folio 4 and the large-paper copy furnish an interesting 
variation from the other three folios, since their alterations are made 
by a curious combination of the partial foho 1792 employed in Folio 
2 and the full folio, 1795, used in Folio 3. They may perhaps be 
most clearly described by considering them in their relation to each 
other, designating the large-paper copy as Folio 5. 

The title-page of Folio 4 has the words "According to the Use of 
the Church of England" pasted over; the title-page of Folio 5 is 
unaltered. Folio 4 lacks the Act for Uniformity of Common Prayer, 
but has the first leaf of the English Kalendar; Folio 5 has the Act 
but no portion of the Kalendar. Both have the American Table of 
Lessons from the partial folio 1792, and Morning and Evening 
Prayer, Litany, and Prayers and Thanksgivings from the 1795 folio. 
In Folio 4 the Thanksgiving for the Fruits of the Earth precedes the 
Epistles and Gospels; in Folio 5 it precedes the Morning Prayer. 
Both the Athanasian Creed and Commination Service have been 
removed from Folio 4, but the Creed only from Folio 5. Folio 4 has 
only the Communion Service from the 1795 folio, while Folio 5 has 
from the same source the Communion Service and the three Bap- 
tismal Services, but both have the English Baptismal services left 
in. Folio 5 alone has one leaf (signature Gg) of the Family Prayers 
from the 1795 folio.^ Folio 4 has the ten Selections of Psalms before 
the English Psalter, and after it the Portions of Psalms to be used 
in place of the Venite all from the partial folio of 1792. Folio 5 has 
before the Psalter the ten Selections and the Portions of Psalms from 
the 1795 folio, and after the Psalter the Portions of Psalms from the 
1792 partial folio.^ Folio 4, like Folio 3, has the Thirty-Nine Articles, 

1 The "Form of Prayer and Thanksgiving for the Fruits of the Earth" was 
not inserted in Folio 3, doubtless due to an oversight, as it is foimd in Folio 4 
and Folio 5. 

* The Family Prayers in the Benton copy begin on the verso of Ff2 and end 
on the verso of Gg. 

* There are no textual variations between the ten Selections of Psalms and the 



1917] THE king's GIFT TO CHRIST CHURCH, BOSTON, 1733 331 

Constitution and Canons cut out; Folio 5, like Folios 1 and 2, has 
them left untouched. 

As to the probable period of alteration, it can only be said that it 
could not have been prior to 1795, but why in that case portions of 
the partial folio of 1792 were used in each book cannot be explained. 
Both volumes show rather less signs of wear than the other three, 
although in Folio 4 it was found necessary to strengthen the edges 
of many of the 1795 leaves by pasting on strips of paper. The paper 
itself seems somewhat lighter than that in Folio 5, but this may sunply 
be an apparent effect produced from more constant use. However, 
Folio 4 has never had to be rebound and is tooled exactly like Folio 
3, although the color of the leather, as it appears now, is lighter. 

In conclusion it may be queried why the changes which were 
made by the insertion of printed matter were confined to certain 
services. The answer undoubtedly is that in the main the changes 
were limited to those services of the Church which would be read 
either at the reading-desk or at the Altar. In the Marriage, Bap- 
tismal, and Funeral Services it is obvious that a folio Prayer Book 
would not be very practical, on account of the places and manner 
in which they are conducted. Undoubtedly then as now the ofiiciat- 
ing clergyman would commonly use a small book which could easily 
be held in the hand. While it is true that two of the Books contain 
the Baptismal Services in folio, it will be noticed that they are from 
the full folio of 1795, and that the partial folio of 1792, which was 
only intended to harmonize the old English Prayer Books with the 
American Book of Common Prayer, did not contain these services. 



Portions of Psalms to be used in place of the Venite as found in the 1792 and 
1795 folio editions. They can however easily be distinguished both by the typo- 
graphical differences and by the signatures; also the six hymns which follow the 
Portions of Psalms in the 1792 edition do not appear in the 1795 edition. 



